Berluti

WE were expecting the shoes to be special, <a href=" http://www.vogue.co.uk/search?q=berluti&st=shows">Berluti is after all a label which established itself in 1895 as a luxury cobbler. What we perhaps weren’t expecting was such an accomplished collection from a fashion house in only its second ready-to-wear season.

Staged as a presentation - some models lying horizontally and engrossed in a novel, others reclining with a leg cocked nonchalantly on the other knee - the collection had a retro feel, almost Ivy League-like circa 1960. Waxed trench coats and sleek suiting provided a particular high point, while the preppy blazers were layered over classic polo shirts and cropped trousers met sockless loafers – all of which were instantly wearable. But what of the shoes? Two-tone wingtip and tasselled monk-strap brogues, artisanal burnished loafers all cut from supremely soft leather – creative director Alessandro Sartori clearly drew on the label’s well-heeled heritage, yet has managed to create an aesthetic that perfectly complements it. And anyway, what’s so wrong with dressing from the feet up?